Panthers vs. Hurricanes NHL Game 4 Pick: Hosts Within One Win of Stanley Cup Finals (May 26)

The Florida Panthers are one win away from securing their berth in the Stanley Cup finals, and their spot in the championship game could be assured as early as Monday evening.

An embarrassing whitewash is hanging over the heads of the Carolina Hurricanes, as they have been outplayed, out-battled, and out-gunned in each of the three previous encounters between the sides in the Eastern Conference finals.

But, could there yet be a sting in the tail at Amerant Bank Arena?

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Game 4 Odds

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Game 3 Recap

As the series moved to Florida, there was already a sense that the Eastern Conference finals were getting away from the Hurricanes following successive home defeats.

The writing is certainly on the wall as we come into game four in the series, as the Panthers made no mistake in making their home advantage count over the weekend.

In truth, there was little separating the sides following the opening two periods, but the Panthers burst into life with a frenzy of goals in the final period. Five goals were scored in a dominant final period, and that could effectively have ended any hope of the Hurricanes making the Stanley Cup finals in 2025.

Niko Mikkola and Aleksander Barkov were the two standout performers for the Panthers in Florida, with both stars netting twice. The other goals in the 6-2 win were registered by Jesper Boqvist and Brad Marchand.

In reply, the Hurricanes could only score twice, with their efforts being netted by Logan Stankoven and Seth Jarvis in the second and third periods. But, defensive issues have continued to plague their chances against the Panthers throughout the series.

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Game 4 Picks

For as good as the Panthers have been in this series, it’s hard not to have been disappointed by the manner in which the Hurricanes have just fallen apart.

When the pressure has intensified, the Panthers have reached a new level, while the Hurricanes have crumbled.

There is little evidence to suggest that the Hurricanes will force an unlikely turnaround, and therefore, it is challenging to foresee anything other than a home win for the Panthers to secure their third consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup finals.